In psychology, mirroring refers to human interaction in which one person imitates the gestures, vocal tone, or attitude of another. Mirroring typically occurs subconsciously and can result in the establishment or deepening of rapport between the person performing the mirroring and the person being mirrored. That is to say, mirroring can create an environment in which a person tends to find another person more interesting and to experience their company as more enjoyable than might be the case in the absence of mirroring behavior.
Due to its basis in human-to-human interaction, psychological mirroring does not spontaneously occur in interactions between people and virtual or dramatic characters, or between people and physical objects. As a result, the increasing diversity in appearance, physiognomy, decoration, and dress reflected by many virtual characters encountered in theme park attractions, games, and movies, for example, as well as the increasing cultural diversity of the general public, may make it difficult for some members of the public to identify with and enjoy those virtual characters.